Cleat cleaner



v. E. RElcHLE cLEAT CLEANER Filed July 1e, 1962 Nov. 26, 1963 3,111,698

FIG. 3.

|NVENTOR.

VERNON E. REICHLE,

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent O 3,111,698 CLEAT CLEANER Vernon E. Reichle, 3521 W. Louisiana, Midland, Tex. Filed July 16, 1962, Ser. No. 210,100 6 Claims. (Cl. 15-105) The present invention is directed to a device Ifor cleaning -mud from athletic shoes fitte-d with cleats. In its more specific aspect, the prese-nt -invention is directed to a device for removing adhering mud from the cleats and bottom sol-e of golfing shoes. |ln its most specific aspect, the present invention is directed to a combination device having -two ends defining inwardly directed scraping means, the first means defining a scraping tool of a generally rake-like character for removing impacted mud from the area of the shoe not fitted with cleats, and the other end is fitted with a tool for removing mud closely adhering to said cleats.

In the use `of golfing shoes, particularly during or following wet or rainy weather, and particulanly on golf courses in areas where soil of a generally clay-like nature is encountered, lrnud tends to build up on the sole of the golfing shoe and becomes impacted between the cleats thereof to a point where the shoes become heavy and burdensome, and the cleats become inoperative. It is imperative, therefore, that the golfer be supplied with means whereby the collected mud can be easily and quickly removed, thereby reducing the mud load and allowing the cleats to become functional once again.

By the practice of the present invention, a small tool, which may be included in the golfing bag or the rgoltfers pocket, is provided which may be used on the golf course, by utilizing a rake-like end yfor removing mud from the portion yof the shoe not fitted with cleats (and for removing mud from the cleated area in preparation for the use of Kthe other tool end), and then lfollowing the first rakelike clean-up by drawing across the cleats the second end which has a slot closely conforming to the shape of the cleats, so that adhering rnud which twas not removed by the first rake-like tool will be cleanly `and efficiently removed.

The scraper of the present invention is Iformed so that the scraping edge is defined by a concave inner face and a planar bottom face so that a positive 4angle of attack is provided for the scraper, the concave inner side encouraging the transport of mud from the scraper area so that the scraper does n-ot itself become impacted and clogged. IFurther, the body portion of the cleat cleaner is formed with a divenging portion from the main body out to the scraper ends so that the mud which is scraped from the cleats may pass upwardly past the cut-back section of the body por-tion and is allowed to fall from tht scraper, thereby adding even more efficiency to the cleaning operation.

All of these advantages and @features may be better understood by reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is a-n isometric View of the cleat cleaner of the present invention, partly in section;

FIG. 2 is a vertical elevation of one end of the cleat cleaner; and

IFIG. 3 is a vertical elevation of the other end of the cleat cleaner.

Referring first to FIG. \1, the cleat cleaner 100 is seen to be made up of a body portion 102 and a first end portion 103 and a second end portion `104. The body portion 102 has an upper side 106 and a lower side 10S. The first end of the cleaner is seen to have a concave inner surface 110, which terminates at a lower or bottom planar vface 112, defining therewith an inwardly directed scraping means having a scraper edge 114. The first end also has an outer surface 116' which connects the bottom ICC planar face with the upper side of the cleaner. Likewise, the second end 104 of the cleaner is made up of a concave inner surface which terminates in a bottom planar face 122, defining therewith an inwardly directed scraping means having a scraping edge 124.

The first end has for-med therein a cleat-shaped slot 140, as will be more fully hereinafter described, tand the rakelike second end has :formed therein a plurality of slots 160, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The body portion 102 is further seen to comprise corrugated nger grips 130, a cut-back section 132 adjacent the first end, and a cut-back section 134 adjacent the second end. The first end and the second end each are seen to devel-op a reduced section of the body portion such that rnud which is removed from the cleats tmay pass by way of the cut-back portions 132 and 1314 to be discharged from the cleaner and to .fall upon the ground. The first end is seen to comprise, in FIG. 2, the cleatshaped slot which extends normal to said concave inner surface and which is further seen to comprise two pairs of lands, ya first pair yof lands 141 which form a slight ang-le of inclination with respect to the bottom surface or bottom face 112 and `extend inwardly to intersect -with second sides 142. Sides 142 define a great angle with said bott-om Afaces to terminate in a second land 143 which is substantially parallel to said bottom face 112. The first end 103 defines, therefore, a slot 140 which is in general the same configuration as the cleats of a golfing shoe. The configuration of the golfing cleat is shown in FIG. 2, in juxtaposition 4wi-th the slot, and is shown to comprise a base anda cleat 131. It is seen in FiG. 3 that the s-lot 140 closely approximates the shape and dimensions of the cleat, so that a close scraping action may be obtained with respect to the cleat.

In FiG. 2, the bottom lface 11-2 is shown to terminate in a pair of first sides 144 which extend inwardly Afrom and normal to said bottom .face a slight distance, :for example, about (}.1 inch. The pair of first lands y141 are shown to extend inwardly from the iirst sides 144, terminating in the second sides 142. Second sides 142 further extend the slot y140 upwardly to the second land 143. rl`he preferred dimensions of this slot will be such that the sides 144 are about 41.42. inches apart, and the first lands 141 extend inwardly to a point about 0.1 inch deeper than the sides 144 to define an opening between the first lands of about 0.24 inch. The second sides extend upwardly `for a distance of about 0.5 inch, terminating at the second land 143 which is about 10.1 inch wide. Thus, the second sides 142 and sec-ond land 143 will define an :aperture of about 0.5 inch deep, which is 0.1 in-ch avide at the second land and which is 0.24 inch wide at the point where said first lands join said second sides. lBy using the preferred dimensions, a close fit and efficient scraping operation are assured.

By reference back to FIG. l, it is seen that the concave inner surface 110 meets the bottom planar lf-ace 112 at an acute angle, forming an inwardly directed scraping tool. Preferably, the tangent to the curve of inner surface 110 drawn at the point of intersection with the bottom planar face y112 forms an angle within the range from about 40 to about 55. A preferred Iangle of 50 will be most `generally useful. The bottom planar lface 112 may suitably be about 0.08 inch in the longitudinal direction.

Referring now to FIG. 3 and FIG. 1, the rakelike second end of the scraping tool is seen to comprise a rakelike device having lfour slots, each of the slots having a pair of sides 1&1 and a land 1162. The bottom planar face 122 connects the sides of adjacent slots. As 'will be apparent from a comparison of the first end and the second end of FIG. l, the bottom planar face 122 is substantially in the same relation to the concave inner face at the second end as with the first yend and, like the bottom planar Iface 112, the bottom planar face 122 may suitably have a long-itudinal dimension of about 0.08 inch. The slot 160, =as defined by the sides 161 and land 162, will extend upwardly into the second end about 0.5 inch, being about 0.15 inch wide at the point adjacent the bottom planar face y122, yand being about 0.13 inch in width adjacent the land `162.

Thus, it is apparent by reference to the previous discussion and to the appended drawings, that the present tinvention comprises a useful tool of high efiiciency and smal-l size, for inclusion in the equipment of the casual or professional golfer. The cleat cleaner of the present invention 1can most suitably be formed of a plastic such as nylon, which is light-weight, strong, and has a low afiinity for mud, thereby reducing the tendency of mud to stick to the body of the cleaner. It may also be formed lof material such as aluminum, magnesium, other light plastics such as Teflon, polyethylene, polypropylene, etc., or may be formed `from carved and waxed wood of high strength. Preferably, nylon of the injection molded type will be used.

It is thus clear that .the inventor has set forth his invention in terms clear and precise as required by statute. The present invention adanits of various modifications without departure Ifrom the basic inventive concept thereof, and therefore the scope of the invention should not be `determined by the specific examples given, but rather by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Cleat cleaning apparatus comprising a longitudinally extending body portion having an upper side and a lower side and a first end and a second end, said rst end and said second end having a concave inner side extending from and continuous with said lower side, an outer side extending from said upper side, and a planar bottom face generally parallel to said lower side and intersecting said yinner surface and said outer side, the inner surface meeting said bottom face at `an acute angle Ifrom about 40 to about to define a scraping edge, said first end defining a slot having sides normal to said inner side and comprising a pair of first sides normal to said bottom face, a pair of first lands extending inwardly from said first sides at a slightly inclined `angle to said bottom face, a pair of second sides extending inwardly from said second lands at a greatly inclined angle with respect to said bottom face, and a second land generally parallel to said bottom face extending between and connecting said second sides, so that said slot defines generally the shape of a golf cleat, said second end defining a plurality of slots having sides normal to said inner surface and extending inwardly yfrom said bottom `face at a great angle thereto and terminating in a land parallel to said bottom face.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the body portion has a reduced section adjacent said ends, and said ends are shaped to for-1n diverging angles relative to the body portion.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim l wherein ythe slots in said second end are about 0.5 inch deep, about 0.15 inch wide adjacent the bottom face, and about 0.13 inch Wide at said land.

An apparatus` in accordance with claim 1 wherein the slot in said first end is formed of firs-t sides about 1.42 inches apart and about 0.1 inch deep, first lands extending upwardly into said first end about 0.1 inch, and inwardly of said end about 0.59 inch, said second sides extending rom a point adjacent said first lands about 0.24- inch wide to said second land at points about 0.1 inch wide, the total slot depth from said bottom face to said second land being about 0.7 inch.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein the slots in said second end are about 0.5 inch deep, about 0.15 inch wide adjacent the bottom face, and about 0.13 inch wide at said land.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein the bottom lface is about 0.08 inch in longitudinal direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,564,721 Raya Aug. 21, 1951 2,817,863 Johns Dec. 31, 1957 3,010,131 Kisky Nov. 28, 1961 

1. CLEAT CLEANING APPARATUS COMPRISING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING BODY PORTION HAVING AN UPPER SIDE AND A LOWER SIDE AND A FIRST END AND A SECOND END, SAID FIRST END AND SAID SECOND END HAVING A CONCAVE INNER SIDE EXTENDING FROM AND CONTINUOUS WITH SAID LOWER SIDE, AN OUTER SIDE EXTENDING FROM SAID UPPER SIDE, AND A PLANAR BOTTOM FACE GENERALLY PARALLEL TO SAID LOWER SIDE AND INTERSECTING SAID INNER SURFACE AND SAID OUTER SIDE, THE INNER SURFACE MEETING SAID BOTTOM FACE AT AN ACUTE ANGLE FROM ABOUT 40* TO ABOUT 55* TO DEFINE A SCRAPING EDGE, SAID FIRST END DEFINING A SLOT HAVING SIDES NORMAL TO SAID INNER SIDE AND COMPRISING A PAIR OF FIRST SIDES NORMAL TO SAID BOTTOM FACE, A PAIR OF FIRST LANDS EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM SAID 